Fire extinguisher



March 7, 1939; A. KUNZ FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Aug. 24, 1937 Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES FIRE EXTINGUISHER Alfonz Kunz, Fuzfo, Hungary Application August 24, 1937, Serial No. 160,645 In Hungary August 28, 1936 17 Claims.

The invention relates to a device for extinguishing materials which are easily ignited and burn rapidly. Such materials include in the first place those which contain the necessary oxygen for combustion and burn with a dangerous flame at high temperature, such for example as materials which are obtained as intermediate products in the process for the preparation of gunpowder without solvents, i. e. materials containing nitroglycerine. These materials are rolled in a warm state for the purpose of gelatinising and in the process the cake easily takes flre. The cake burns particularly in the warm state in a fraction of a second and the flame jets thus produced are a great danger to the neighbourhood.

The-device according to the invention is so constructed that it is brought into operation instantaneously and the 'extinguishing liquid is poured on to the cake before the ignition thereof can reach dangerous dimensions. The idea underlying the invention consists in this, that (1) an exploding device is arranged on or in the bottom of the container for the extinguishing material and by the detonation of this exploding device the bottom is torn out and that (2) means are provided for maintaining a super-atmospheric pressure inthe interior of thecontainer for the extinguishing medium.

By this means during the emptying of the container the superatmospheric pressure and the weight act in same direction on the extinguishing medium. Thus the extinguishing medium is distributed with great force on the burning cake. Thus the opening of the container is instantaneously effected and the side of the container lying nearest to the cake is burnt or disrupted by the explosion. In orderthat only slig t force is necessary for the purpose and in order to prevent the formation of dangerous explosion splinters the wall of the container is made of a material, for example, water-tight fabric, rubber or the like which will not allow the smallest dangerous explosion particle to pass.

In order to tear or break the fabric partition a fuse is suflicient which preferably is arranged to extend across the middle of the partition so that in ignition it tears or breaks the partition in two pieces and the extinguishing agent is immediately discharged in its entirety on to the cake. A particularly easy extinction may be effected if the fuse is provided with an electric lgnition device which may be actuated by a correspondingly arranged photo cell.

66 The formbf'construction according to the invention is shown in a drawing in which Figure 1 shows the device partly in front view and partly in longitudinal section. Figure 2 shows a part of the device also in longitudinal section on a larger scale.

The easily combustible material is worked up between the rollers Ii and i2, above these rollers there is arranged a container i3, which for example, contains water. The bottom of the container nearest the pair of rollers consists of two linen sheets i6 and I1 which are stretched between the flanges l4 and 15. The watertight linen sheets are made further watertight on the inner side of the container i3 with a rubber sheet i8 which also is stretched between the flanges Hi and I5.

The annular flange I5 is fastened to the flange It with screws which are easily unfasterr d so that the sheets can be replaced assemblage work.

Between one of the linen sheets and the rubber sheet i8 a fuse I9 is arranged which is provided with an ignition capsule .28, the ignition capsule is actuated by electrical ignition device 20. The electrical ignition device 20 is in circuit through the conductor 2! with the relay 22, which is cut out by a photo cell 23 arranged in the proximity of the pair of rollers. The relay 22 may for exampl conveniently be connected with current from the mains.

The container i3 is filled with water through the conduit 24 and may be emptied by means of the conduits 25. An overflow pipe 2'! with a cock 26 is provided to prevent overfllling the container. The air space of the container i3 is connected with'a compressed air conduit 29, so that after closing the water cocks and the cook 26 the volwith very ittle ume of water in the container i3 can be placed I under superatmospheric pressure.

If the material being worked between the rollers ii and I! should take fire, then fuse i9 will be immediately ignited by means of the photo cell 23, relay 22, ignition device 20 and ignition capsule 28. The explosive action of the fuse l9 tears the linen sheets i6 and i1 and the rubber sheet I8, whereupon the water under pressure is poured all at once on the burning material.

The device according to the invention may be used with advantage not only in gunpowder factories but everywhere where it is necessary to immediately extinguish any fire started.

I claim:-

1. Apparatus for extinguishing rapidly combustible materials with liquid'which comprises a maintaining a superatmospheric pressure in the container-and an explosive material built into the bottom of the liquid container, which container bottom consists of a plurality of layers of.

sheet material at least one of which is of material capable of isolating the explosive from the contents of the. liquid container.

2. Apparatus for emnguishing rapidly combustible materials with liquid which comprises a container for the liquid, means for maintaining a superatmospheric pressure in the container and an explosive material built into the bottom of the liquid container said container bottom comprising sheets of rubber fabric clamped between flanges at the bottom of the container sides.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the explosive material consists of a fuse extending diametrically across the bottom of said container.

4. Apparatus for exinguishing rapidly combustible materials as claimed in claim 1 wherein the explosive is fired by light-controlled electrical means.

5. Apparatus for extinguishing rapidly combustible materials with liquid, which comprises a container for liquid, means for applying a constantly super-atmospheric pressure to the top of the liquid in said container, an explosive device positioned adjacent the bottom of the container so as directly to disrupt said container bottom when said explosive device is detonated, and means for detonating said explosive device.

'6. Apparatus for extinguishing rapidly combustible materials with liquid, which comprises a container for liquid, means for applying a constantly super-atmospheric pressure to the top of the liquid in said container, an explosive device interposed between said liquid and the bottom of said container so as directly to disrupt said container bottom when said explosive device is detonated, and means for automatically detonating said explosive device to disrupt said container bottom and thereby permit said liquid to descend upon the combustible material.

'7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which the bottom of said container consists of a material which is sumciently flexible, and non-' splinterable to preclude the formation of broken particles when disrupted by explosive force.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the bottom of said container consists of a material which is sufliciently flexible, and nonsplinterable to preclude the formation of broken particles when disrupted by explosive force.

9. Apparatus for extinguishing rapidly comthe bottom of said container consists of a material which is sufliciently flexible, and nonsplinterable to preclude the formation of broken particles when disrupted by explosive force.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which the bottom of said container comprises a plurality of layers of sheet material at least one of which is impermeable to the liquid in said container.

12. Apparatus for extinguishing with fluids rapidly combustible materials, particularly heated gunpowder, comprising a container for the extinguishing fluid, said container having com paratively strong walls and a comparatively frail bottom, means for normally maintaining the fluid in said container under a superatmospheric pressure, an explosive device interposed between said fluid and the outermost surface of the bottom of said container which consists of a plurality of layers at least one of which is impermeable to said extinguishing fluid, and means for detonating said explosive device directly to disrupt said layers of said container bottom.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, in which said explosive device before its detonation is insulated from contact with said fluid. V

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, in which said layers of the container bottom are clamped between clamping flanges positioned at the bottom of said container walls.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, in which said explosive device comprises a detonating fuse which extends diametrically across the bottom of said container.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which said explosive device is automatically detonated by light-controlled electrical means.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, in which at least the uppermost layer of said container bottom consists of sheet rubber and serves to cover said explosive device to insulate the latter from said extinguishing liquid.

ALFONZ KUNZ. 

